: Dale-- you're right -- good decision (note that even though I was the one who
: pointed out the other definition of albatross, I was NOT suggesting that
: you needed to change the name -- just good naturedly hoping that your
: Albatross wouldn't turn out to be an "albatross" .... and making
: sure that you were aware of what that word has come to mean (which matters
: most if you are planning to *market* the design-- where what comes to mind
: for me is the experience of Chevy trying to sell the Nova in Mexico, which
: flopped, because no-va in Spanish sounds like "no go", which
: isn't a great selling point for a car. If you are planning to market the
: design, you may want to include a blurb like you've written above--
: describing the albatross as an incredible bird, etc.... to disassociate
: people from thinking "albatross-- a burden hung aroung one's
: neck"

I realized from the beginning that you were just pointing it out and I thank you for that. I was just explaining why it is a good name because I believe a lot of people don't know very much about this bird. It really is incredible how it flies with very little effort etc...

I just wanted to design my own. There are many guillemot's out there, but only 1/2 of an albatross (soon to be 1). I don't plan on marketing the design, and even if I did I would paddle it to see what needs to be changed before selling plans (Just like Nick refined the guillemot many times before it became the great kayak it is).

One of the reasons I don't plan on marketing this is because I am not in competition with Nick, Joe, and the many others who build for a living. I am just doing this as a hobby and have a job that pays good. I look up to the fact that they can make and sell kayaks for a living, and I would not want to make it any harder for them. Three cheers for the kayak building professionals.

Dale